The Devour Mission
We connect curious travelers with local food and people in a way that helps culture thrive.
Our Why
Our cities are changing at an alarming rate.
We’re seeing them blend together as family-run businesses and iconic places continue to disappear. And with them we lose the stories, recipes, and soul that makes each place unique.
Travel is about immersing yourself in local culture. And there’s no better way to do that than through food! Food brings people together, no matter where you’re from or what language you speak.
We crave food and travel experiences with a true sense of place. We fear a world where you can’t tell the difference between Paris and Barcelona. Our hearts jump at the adventure of a tapas crawl in historic Madrid, and at our first taste of a Parisian baguette. These are the moments we feel truly connected to the soul of a destination, and not a watered down version of it.
Our Story
It all began at a traditional market in the center of historic Madrid. The first Devour Tour was a deep dive into Madrid’s vibrant food culture and a way to support the city’s struggling mom and pop shops.
In the height of the economic recession, founder Lauren Aloise was saddened by the struggling local market, where half of the stalls were shuttered. Her first tours highlighted the difficulties of keeping small businesses relevant in a quickly changing Madrid.
By visiting and befriending local stallholders, Lauren’s first “Devourers” saw a different side to the city, and vendors were eager to share their stories and expertise with curious guests. As the tours have expanded—from walking wine tastings in Barcelona to flamenco feasts in Seville—the heart and soul has always stayed the same. We want to help local culture thrive, no matter where we are.
Our Friends You’ll Meet On Tour
The Devour Name & Symbol
Devour: to absorb or engross wholly
You can devour food, you can devour literature, you can devour culture—it’s the perfect name for our tours that go far beyond food. Our symbol takes us back to the very beginning, as it’s the ticket you take to wait in line at any traditional market in Spain.
We strongly believe that our local markets are the beating heart of any neighborhood. They are community centers– places where news is shared and gossip exchanged, where people feel a warmth that’s nearly impossible to find in the cold aisles of the nearby supermarket.
Devour Tours is the ticket that connects you with the vibrant local culture in each delicious destination.
Meet the Devourers
Devourers: Curious explorers of culture and cuisine
Alejandro Cabrera
Co-Founder
Alejandro Cabrera
Alejandro hails from the very south of Spain, and grew up in the sherry-producing town of El Puerto de Santa María in Cadiz. He traded beachside barbecues for the buzz of the Spanish capital, where he enjoys promoting his country and its diverse cuisine at every opportunity.
Lauren Aloise
Chief Executive Officer
Lauren Aloise
Lauren grew up in an Italian-American family where 3-hour meals were the norm. After 10 years in the restaurant industry, she moved to Spain where she launched her popular Spanish food blog, Spanish Sabores, and soon after led groups on the first Devour Madrid food tours.
James Blick
Chief Operating Officer
James Blick
Enchanted by the country’s exhilarating culture and cuisine, James has written about Spain for international publications, including the Guardian and the UK Sunday Times. He hosts a popular YouTube channel about Spain, and has appeared on the BBC and British Channel 4. A wine lover, he is WSET Level 3 certified.
Owen Dallison
Barcelona Operations Manager
Owen Dallison
Owen fell in love with Barcelona on a weekend break and vowed to return to live here. He did so 6 years later with his Catalan girlfriend—now wife—and is never happier than when sat at his wife’s favorite market bar—incidentally, a stop on one of Devour Barcelona’s tours!
Courtney Brink
Customer Service
Courtney Brink
Courtney fell in love with Spain the minute she set foot in this magical country in 2007. She has an intense love for Spanish wine and food… and Javier Bardem. She’s always on the lookout for the next best tapa to go along with a refreshing caña, and dreams of buying a ruin in Andalucía with her husband Dani one day.
Dale Lewis
Customer Service
Dale Lewis
Having lived in seven countries across Europe and Asia, Dale fell in love with the Spanish lifestyle and hasn’t looked back since he moved here. A true foodie at heart, when he isn’t eating tapas with friends or finding the best pastries for afternoon merienda, he loves to refine his own baking skills using influences from international cuisines in his creations.
Amy Bingham
Sales Director
Amy Bingham
As the daughter of a barbecue master and a pseudo-vegetarian, Amy’s culinary obsessions run deep. She spent time in Galicia before settling down in Madrid, where you’ll usually find her browsing the bottles of a local bodega or ogling the produce at the weekend farmer’s market.
Jaimie Keating
Spain Operations Director
Jaimie Keating
After studying in Andalusia, Jaimie made sure he was on the first possible flight back to Seville—the day after graduation! Many years later, he is fully immersed in Spain’s culinary world and has shown thousands of guests the secrets of sherry and tapas.
Lior Schechori
BARCELONA HEAD GUIDE
Lior Schechori
A passionate food and wine lover, Lior is a trained chef who studied culinary arts at Barcelona’s prestigious Hofmann School of Hospitality.
Ashley Duncan
Content Manager
Ashley Duncan
Ashley got hooked on the Spanish language, culture, and food while studying in Madrid—and basically never left! A lover of dogs and books, she can be found exploring the bars and restaurants of Spain’s capital city, and the mountains and countryside that surround it.
Cyra Alcock
Product Director
Cyra Alcock
Since 2005, Cyra has lived in the UK, Portugal and Spain working as a professional tour guide. But it was Seville’s charm that captured her heart, and she hasn’t looked back since moving to her favorite city for food, wine and quality of life.
Katie Stearns
Marketing Director
Katie Stearns
Katie turned down a full-time job at a newspaper to live in Spain and never looked back. She’s obsessed with Andalucía, and when she’s not in the office, she’s most likely at home in the kitchen with a podcast on in the background. Find her recipes, stories & more over at Always Olives.
Mayu Ishikawa
Customer Service Director
Mayu Ishikawa
Born in Toyota, Japan but raised near San Francisco, California, Mayu loves the madrileño lifestyle and culture. She finds pleasure in the little things, whether it be a cute interaction with a Spanish abuela or a quaint alley that she’s never seen before. This country, she says, is full of wonderful surprises.
Meet Your Passionate Guides
Our guides are the beating heart of our tours. They’re gifted storytellers who are smart, passionate and talented and whose excitement for this country is contagious!What We're Devouring
